Excavating apparatus



N0 i6 1943. f R. s. wr-:IMER 2,334,460

EXCAVATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25 1941 Patented Nov. 16, V1943 "v" (c1. Y

connected portions ofmthe' haul lines are mv v tion Yof the load to discharging position. pon f release-of tension on the haul linebythe operator,`the loaded bucket Ybegins to tilt rearwardly about the axis dened by members I4--l4 whereuponthe members laf-I8 begin to swing Voute wardly. or laterally oi the bucket andfthereby move the adjacent ends ofthe haul line branches 20 out of thenarcuate path of movementnoi the H of the members i3, but the bucket tilts rearwardly f to the load discharging position shownin1i:gur.=,g 3` g without Vthe impedanceto such movement that results from the engagement ''O tflle'haullinejl branches with the teeth in conventional buckets.

in Figure 1. during'the floadngoperation, being applied to Inasmuch as the members I8 extend forwardly of the bucket normally, the 'weighttof thesameg, tends to resist rearward tilting action of the buck; 5

members shownginl FigurefiS, 'such` changefof: position eiects a; shifting of the center of gravity which further facilitates oraccelerates the dump- 'ing action; of the bucket. Conversely,v as the lmembers. Vlgare -swung forwardlyfrom theposition shown in Figure B by tensiongon'fthehaul unejposition shown in Figre'fi,- 11a-which position; it will beseen, they are disposed above the teeth, they do not prevent the teeth from penetrating the material as the" bucket is lowered or droppedV toqinitiate the next loadingY operation; i When tension is again lapplied to the haul line during 'the loadingfoperation, the clevis members I8 will be swung outwardly to the positions shown Tension applied to the haulv line the bucket at positions above the teeth, tend to et;Y but as the members swing outwardly and 2o tilt the bucket forwardly to a proper digging van# rearwardlyanddownwardly d urinathe dumping action of; the bucket toward, the position vofsuch ele. The actionpf the members lrsrr C haracter a wrist action Vandsince .tilting-ofthe bucket l causes swinging-movement of lthe members l,

Y converselyfv swinging Ymovement 'of those inemg of theloadedbuckettowardjtherean thereof 2.3y bersputwardlyor inwardly tends tocause tn e.;y

bucketjto Vtill? `rearwardlyv or forwardly, espe tively.- Y f l,

Themembesis arlseicjureewmebuekef wie?, 1 cent tlievertical plane passing through.the -teet1 1,' V

f 3Q; andhence itis` at these positions of :the bucket@ thattneiforce o f thehaul lines is applied-A tothe j Y bucket. The members i8 varertvhus substitutesfor'4 'As fsl'1ownVr in theldrawing, stabilizerlinesgor -the. .usual' ,forwardly extending portionsvof-the 'chains 22 *extendfrom` the rings 2l1tojrings 23 side walls'of the bucket to which the-haul lines whichareginterposed in thefh'oist line-branches :J5generallyi are attached present-day;fpra'cticAv lia-:During the elevationotaloaded bucketasv 'Y Since by-reason ofwthe'presentarrangement-the Well as duringfthmtransportation .thereof, as f: force s- -exerted1on the drag 'bucket by thejhaul j pointed out.ab ove, tension.isapplied to.;the'haul `linefluring vloading operations are applied.to.the v line topreventthe bucketfrom tilting`rearwardly i 'A relatively heavy side walls'. of ,the'bucket' gt ;posnil until itghas;beemmovedtojload Adischarging posi-Y f4oftions vsubstantially tothe rear oi thepo s'it ions, tion..Thestabililiing lines '22 preventfthe loaded at which Ahaul linesare attachedy to conventional jg 1 bucket; rombeing tilted f orwardlyby'the, force buckets havingiorwardly:extending side, walls,-

exertedv on the; .forward end-ofthe bucket by theY thecpresent improvements result in 'a moredurai haul Vlineswnile .thebucketis -beingelevated and ble bucket, .otherthin-gs beingfequaL I VIt will alsof transported.' As'thebucket-tilts rearwardly durf. 4"fbe observed that since the-members kliinheiect', l

constitute lever extensions oftheside/ wallsof' Y line, vtheyshift thecentergofrgravity ofthe; empty bucket ma forward direction and render it tilteblefolwardly bythejexertionoflessforce.- E.

most into the .i material lbeing.; exrcavated;VA

. ing ftheloacL discharging; aotionyythe outward swingingmovement of .thermemberfs 4l 8 also 'causes the lines 22 tobe Adrawn-away fromtheadischargf ing material tothe eXteriorofthebuoket asindicated in Figure 3.4 r H f fcharging. position` showngnl Figure 3V and'f'the bucketv .point downwardly.p rfTl'ie bucket is; then' l in condition to Lbedropped` 'withthe'teethf-foreff-k ;Theiapplication of; tensionfto thehaul wh'ue'therbucket is-irrthe1remar/armytutea posnI vtiorr ofjEi'gure notonly swings therbucketclocka Ywisesut it causes the :clevismember'ss-I'B 'tojswn'gg Y outwardly toiapproximately .the position shown Y -ini-lFigure`-1:;as1tl1e bucket approaches the hori-"I ZontalpositionfQAs the;bucket swingsrbeyondthe j 1 horizontal?positiorrduringfsuchf clockwisegrnov ment -by the angular momentumimparted'therefz:

to. by; theghaulglinai;theinclned axes of the 1 inventionsin bucketsof axes; of .the kpins breferebmare disnosedgatangles-;' f to the vertical vof from V25 degrees to3-5fdegreesfV the bucket which Projecta C QrrSderable distante; 1 forwardly Q f the-aXisfMf-'l4,;theyenab1@ rearbethe case were the branches 20v-connected tov thebucketpropen'and consequently theg'improved f i bucket` canbe elevated more nearly 'beneatlntnq Y point oijtheboom o f ;th`edrag lineapparatus.

'In the'type of Ibucket illustrated inthe ydrawmg: thei1pivotj.pins liliare- 'dsposed-onfangularp axesthat: converge; downwardly 'and ereg-located;

in a transverse plane at` or adjacent :the forward,A I portionsgof;the;-teeth. 1n u tili zing the-presentV the type illustratednth;

Improved a'ctionoi theV bucket, resultsY from 'canta i fing the axes falffewf degrees rearwardly alsoffgom a, vertical tplane; ras rillusllatedV in fthe drawing. Inotherwords-thengularrdisposition of the'pin's 1 'i9 iS lSllClCl'thatf'when the" bucket starts-tilting.; 5 v

Y'rearwardlyifromits:normalriloadfcarryinm posi-'Q tion illustratedffinizFg. 16,Y the resultantiof thec the bucket fand hence such forwardgrotation' org fthe :bucket is2 .no t arrestedI by .the members-1 f l 8g f unlessthe operator; improperly manipulatesjhe` i lineand the:r force. Voffgravity;.ontharnembersi [s Ypositions-shown in Figure'S. y f

bucket and haul line are parallel, as illustrated in Figure 5, and in horizontal planes,.a` plane passed'through the points of the teethand the forward ends of the clevis members I8 is at an' forward ends thereof to haul line branches and being hinged at the rear ends to forward portions of the bucket on downwardly convergent axes for causing said members and the attached ends of said branches to swing by gravity later.-

ally of the bucket upon rearward tilting 'of the latter and the slackening of said branches.

2. In combination a ydrag bucket,y haul line branches therefor, and means for securing said branches to the bucket comprising a pair of rigid members adapted to be attached at theforward ends thereof to said branches and being hinged at the rear ends thereof to forward portions of the bucket on downwardly convergent and rearwardly inclined axes,` whereby said members tend to swing laterally of the bucket upon rear- Y to the bucket on an axis whereby the bucket when normally loaded tends to tilt rearwardly vto load discharging position, and means for attach-` i ing haul line branches to forward portionsV of the bucket whereby tension on the haul line can be utilized to resist rearward tilting action of the loaded bucket during Velevation thereof, said means comprising aupair of forwardly extending members to the forward ends of which said haul line branches are adapted to be attached and being hinged at the rear ends `thereof to forward portions of the bucket on downwardly convergent axes to cause the members to swing outwardly by gravity toV move the adjacent ,ends of said haul line branches out of the path ofV movement of the forward portions of the tilting bucket upon release of tension of the haul line.

4.' Excavating apparatus comprising a bucket having side walls, a rear wall, and a bottom having a forward cutting edgefhoist line attaching means for the bucket providing an axisso located that the bucket when loaded tends `to tilt rearwardly for discharging the load over said rear wall, and means for attaching haul line branches t the forward end of the bucket comprising a of said side walls on downwardly convergent axes whereby the forward ends of said members move outwardly upon rearward tilting of the bucket for moving said branches fout of the path of movement of said cutting edge.

A rearwardly dumping drag bucket provided with means for attaching a hoist line thereto on 1 an axis so located that Vthe bucket when normally v loaded tends to tilt rearwardly to load discharg- 5 ing position and whereby the elevated bucket when empty can hang pendent from the hoist line in either a forwardly or rearwardly tilted position, haul line attaching means at the forward end of the bucket comprising a pair of rigid Y members adapted tobe attached at the forward ends thereofto haul line branches and hinged at the rear ends thereof to forward portions of the f bucket on downwardly convergent axes to cause said members to swing outwardly of the bucket upon rearward tilting of the latter from load carrying toward load discharging position, and therebyrmove the connected ends of the haul line branches out of the arcuate path of movement Vof the forward portions of the tilting bucket, and lines connected to the forward ends of said members inwardly with respectl Vto the bucket and above the forward cutting edge thereof as said v bucket ismoved to the forwardly tilted pendent position whereby as the bucket is lowered in such pendentposition the cutting edge thereof can be caused to contact the material to be excavated without obstruction by said pivoted members.

6. A drag bucket provided with haul line attaching members at the forward end thereof, and hinged means connecting said members 4to the bucket on downwardly convergentand rearwardly inclined axes forcausing said members to swing outwardly and rearwardly of the bucket upon release of tension on said line and upon rearward tilting thereof from load carrying position to effect a rearward shifting of the center of gravity'of the bucket to accelerate movement thereof to load discharging position.

7. VA drag bucket provided with hoist members secured to the bucket'on an axis so located that the bucket when loaded tends to Ytilt rearwardly to load discharging position, a pair of rigid members hingedly connected at the rear ends thereof to forward portions of the bucket, haul line branches connected to the forward ends'of said members, and flexible stabilizing members connected to forward portions of said members and to said hoist lines at points above the bucket for restraining forward tilting of the loaded bucket when elevated and when tension is applied to the haul lines, the axes of said hinged connections being downwardly convergent and rearwardly inclined whereby upon'release of tension on said haul lines while the loaded bucket is elevated said rigid membersV swing outwardly by gravity beyond the planes of the respective bucket side walls for swinging theV adjacent portions of the haullline branches and the stabilizing members out of the path of the forward portion of the bucket as the latter tilts to load discharging position and wherebyl the center of gravity of the bucket is shifted rearwardly and the angular velocity of the dumping movement of the bucket is thereby accelerated.

RAYMQND s. WEIMER.

bersand to said hoist line branches and of such length as to swingthe outer ends of said mem- 

